William H. Blair

He bought the Centre Democrat newspaper in 1844 and was its publisher until selling in 1852. He served two terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1851, 1852) and in 1860 was a 39 year old attorney in Bellefonte, Centre County, PA.

On 20 April 1861 he enrolled and mustered in Harrisburg for 3 months' service as First Lieutenant of Company H of the 4th Pennsylvania Infantry, and mustered out with them on 27 July. He was elected District Attorney of Centre County in 1862, but enrolled again for military service, at Bellefonte on 20 September, and mustered as First Lieutenant of Company G, 51st Pennsylvania Infantry on 17 October. He was promoted to Captain on 12 February 1862.

He commanded his Company on the Maryland Campaign of September 1862 and was later commended for "great gallantry in storming and taking Antietam Bridge 17 September 1862 under Maj. Gen. Burnside."

He was discharged on 19 December 1862 to take the commission of Colonel of the new 179th Pennsylvania Infantry to date from 8 December. He mustered out with them in Harrisburg on 27 July 1863.

He was honored by brevet to Brigadier General of Volunteers on 31 May 1866 (to date from 13 March 1865).

By 1870 and to at least 1880 he was again a successful lawyer in Bellefonte, PA.

His basic service from the Card File,1 Bates,2 and Heitman,3 source of the Antietam quote. Personal details from family genealogists, his Pennsylvania House bio, D.S. Maynard's Industries and Institutions of Centre County (1877), and the US Census of 1860-1880. His gravesite is on Findagrave, source also of his picture, from a photograph contributed by Scott Hann from his collection.

He married Nancy Elma Moore (1822-1881) in December 1844 and they had 2 sons.

07/16/1821; Milesburg, PA

12/07/1888; Bellefonte, PA; burial in Union Cemetery, Bellefonte, PA